Watch this manic PSA that tries to use cats to shame smokers into quitting

Truth Orange has been making anti-smoking PSAs since the 1990s. The campaign is the spawn of the Master Settlement Agreement between Big Tobacco and most American states, by which tobacco companies were required to fund advertisements to discourage smoking, especially among youths. Their latest offering focuses on the Internet’s love of cats, and the untested hypothesis that smokers care more about their feline friends than themselves.

This article was originally published by The Influence, a news site that covers the full spectrum of human relationships with drugs. Follow The Influence on Facebook or Twitter.

“Cats are twice as likely to get cancer if their owner smokes,” flashes over images of cute-but-distressed cats, along with the words: “Smoking = No Cats, No Cats = No Cat Videos.” The hashtag #CATmageddon is on the loose.

This article was originally published by The Influence, a news site that covers the full spectrum of human relationships with drugs. Follow The Influence on Facebook or Twitter.

Don't let Silicon Valley control what you see. Get more stories like this in your inbox, every day.